KUALA LUMPUR: The return of Formula 1 to Malaysia is the result of successful royal diplomacy, reflecting the close relationship and high level of trust between His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain.
In a Facebook post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's official page on Monday (July 27), it said that since 2017, their Majesties have enjoyed a close personal friendship, which has continued to strengthen diplomatic ties between Bahrain and Malaysia, culminating in Sultan Ibrahim's state visit to Bahrain in Nov last year (2025).
"Following challenges to the Formula 1 race calendar arising from the armed conflict in West Asia, the staging of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix faced uncertainty and required an immediate solution to ensure the prestigious race could proceed.
"In an effort to find a solution, the King of Bahrain had a conversation with the King of Malaysia (via phone).
"The discussion carried out in a warm and friendly manner marked the beginning of strategic cooperation between the Malaysian Bahrain Government's, Formula 1 and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)," it said.
It further shared that as a result, a mutual understanding was reached and an agreement was secured to stage the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), bringing Formula 1 back to Malaysia after it was last held in the country in 2017.
"The announcement of Sepang Circuit as the host venue for the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix has been well received, particularly by Formula 1 fans in Malaysia and across the region.
"It has created a significant chapter in history that reflects the strong royal diplomatic ties between Sultan Ibrahim and King Hamad," it said.
F1 announced that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix at the SIC from Oct 2 to 4 this year.
“Positioned between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grand Prix, this event, which is subject to final agreements and official sign-off, will become the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia,” the organisation said.
In mid-March, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, were postponed following the war in the Middle East, reducing this season’s calendar from 24 to 22 races.
According to reports, if the final two races of the season in Qatar on Nov 29 and Abu Dhabi on Dec 6 cannot proceed because of the conflict in West Asia, F1 management was considering several alternative venues.
As a result, the reports said Malaysia and Turkiye were among the candidates touted to host the race on Oct 4.
SIC previously hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was removed from the calendar due to rising hosting costs and licensing fees.
